Kristy Redmon, RPh, of Honest Herbal

The future of cannabis is female! December is DOPE Magazine’s Women’s Issue, and we wanted to continue to highlight women across the industry on all our platforms. We sent a questionnaire to outstanding women in cannabis—some familiar to us, some new—and will be showcasing their answers in individual blogs this month. Check out our December Mag for more profiles of the badass women you need to know! Today’s story highlights Kristy Redmon, RPh, Founder and President of Honest Herbal.

Q: Who are some of your greatest role models?

A: My dad was my greatest role model. He was a man of few words, and one who led by example. He taught me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, work hard and never give up. He allowed me to make my own decisions, make my own mistakes, and he never judged me. He was there to congratulate me in my successes and always ready with the perfect words when I failed. He has been a huge factor in my professional success and I’m grateful to him each and every day.

Q: What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career?

A: My biggest and most difficult career challenge was being an unwilling participant in the opioid crisis. As a pharmacist, I witnessed the entire opioid crisis from the front lines as it happened. It was heartbreaking to see people’s lives fall apart due to addiction. This was the primary reason I stepped away from pharmacy practice in search of alternatives for the treatment of chronic pain.

Q: What’s something someone would never guess about you?

A: Having worked in the public virtually my entire working life, I don’t think most people know that I’m extremely shy and deathly afraid of public speaking. I go out of my way to avoid it whenever possible.

Q: What’s your go-to self-care routine?

A: I love to relax and rejuvenate in a bubble bath with a fine beverage and a great book.

Q: Favorite “guilty pleasure”?

A: Donuts, for sure. Ever since I was a child watching the donut-making process through the glass window at Dunkin’ Donuts, I can’t pass a donut shop without being drawn in. I have a favorite type of donut at just about every shop in town. It’s a heavy burden, being a donut connoisseur, but someone has to do it!

Q: Where do you see your career/business headed in five years? Twenty?

A: In five years, I want to see Honest Herbal CBD Hemp products sold in stores across America, as well as internationally. In 20 years, I hope to hand over the family business and retire on a boat to explore the Pacific.

Q: How do you feel about the industry-wide assertion that cannabis is a female-friendly space?

A: I never really thought about it from that perspective. I’ve always believed that anyone can be successful who is focused on moving their business forward every day, and determined to succeed—regardless of setbacks along the way.

Q: As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A: Like most kids, I changed my mind every day about what I wanted to be when I grew up. Looking back, though, most of my dreams included travel. I’ve always dreamed of doing something that allowed me to see the world and explore other cultures.

Q: If you could talk to yourself five years ago, what advice would you give?

A: Just do it! Don’t overanalyze everything, don’t overcomplicate matters, and don’t make things more difficult than they have to be. Have a little humor, and don’t forget to experience and enjoy the present.

Q: What advice do you have for other women looking to get into the cannabis space?

A: Be prepared to change everything on a dime. The rules and regulations in this industry are ever-changing and you must be able to adapt quickly. So, get ready—you’re in for a wild ride!

Q: Best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

A: A female physician once told me, “You will always be busy with customers, clients and patients, but never forget that your children only grow up once.” In my opinion, she was telling me that balance is the true key to success.

Q: What’s the one thing you would bring if you were stranded on a desert island?

A: Definitely Duct Tape. I’m not super handy at repairing or building things, so Duct Tape is the perfect all-in-one solution for me.

Q: What do you hope for the future of the cannabis industry?

A: From a business perspective, I look forward to the day when cannabis businesses are allowed to function like every other business in America when it comes to commercial banking, taxes, insurance, real estate and advertising. Speaking as a healthcare provider, I hope that cannabis therapeutics will soon become the norm rather than the exception. As clinicians become more comfortable utilizing cannabis as a medicine or a nutritional supplement, patients everywhere will finally begin to benefit, and our country’s overall healthcare costs will begin to fall.

Q: Fill in the blank: I could never live without ________

A: Coffee.

Q: What do you think needs to happen before we achieve federal legalization of cannabis?

A: The DEA must reschedule—but preferably deschedule—cannabis in order to move forward with federal legalization. The majority of Americans want legalization, and we should elect people to federal positions that represent exactly that.

Q: What’s your smoking/cannabis consumption ritual, if you do partake in cannabis?

I’m a firm believer in daily microdosing as a nutritional supplement to improve overall health and well-being.

As a lifestyle publication, DOPE Magazine is dedicated to creating purposeful, relevant conversations. When we printed our inaugural issue in 2011 we positioned ourselves in the cannabis arena as a team of professionals determined to normalize the plant. While cannabis remains the central theme of our brand, 2017 has marked a turning point in our progression. We’ve built a steadfast framework of inclusivity when speaking about gender, race, class, politics, family and culture—with the ethos DEFEND.